Don't get us wrong: we love a bit of Popeye the sailor man. What's not to like about a barely-comprehensible spinach-guzzling maniac who spends most of his time upper-cutting his girlfriend's bit on the side? But we have to say — we weren't expecting a Popeye video game any time soon.
The last bit of Popeye news we remember is the announcement of a Genndy Tartakovsky animated movie, which may or may not still be in the works... so perhaps we're due a Popeye revival? And who else to handle it, but the makers of the highly-rated Calculator: the calculator app for Nintendo Switch?
It's true: we now have an officially-licensed Popeye game heading to the Nintendo Switch on the 4th of November, which means it'll be fighting off the Animal Crossing: New Horizons update (5th November) for people's attention.
The description calls it a "modernized adaptation of the classic arcade game", which you may remember as being the reason that Donkey Kong exists. From the screenshots, it looks like it'll be an item-collecting, free-roaming game in which you have to grab hearts, letters, and spinach while avoiding obstacles. The letters will come together to spell out a phrase, while the hearts are scattered around the place, and you'll be trying to collect them in record time.
The game will be published by Sabec, whose other games include Calculator, Golf, Darts, and Fight. In keeping with their minimalistic titles, the Popeye game will be called "Popeye".
Are you a Popeye fan? Does this game intrigue you? Let us know in the comments below!
[source nintendo.com]
Comments 52
yoooo popeye calculator
Genuinely looks like a roblox game lmao
Even then there are roblox games that look better than this
How is this a commercial product??!
Yeah be worried.
Hmmm...if the original arcade game is included, this will become a must have for me lol!
You sure this is on the Switch and not the N64?
This could run on a DS, why did these guys get the Popeye licence of all people?
This looks like human fall flat
But not in the good way
I thought it would be interesting to see a Nintendo-published Popeye game after all these years.
But seeing the developer on this one, it's clear some dreams are best kept as dreams.
It doesn't interest me much personally.
Looks like something my daughter could play for free on Roblox.
Give us Arcade Archives Popeye!
This is great and all, but I am still waiting for Calculator 2 to release. We need a sequel to that masterpiece.
Uh...I don't know what to say about this.
I liked the Popeye arcade game. I'm interested but, dont know if I trust sabec to make something I'll want, based on their previous entries.
How much does it cost to license the Popeye IP these days? I assume not much.
What happened to Bluto and Olive Oyl? And when did Sony do a Popeye movie?!?!
@ShadowWeaver421It got canceled. I think Gendy had been working on it.
I cannot wait to see how worse this could get
The scenery looks interesting, but not as a finished product
@malcire Uncancelled now, but Sony isn't producing it anymore, King Features Syndicate is doing it directly
Guessing this is because Popeye is now public domain- his creator died in 1939, and over 70 years after his death he is free of publishing rights.
Everything adds up here!
@Sinton I second that.
I don't know if the Popeye game from Atari 5200 is like the arcade version (never played), but if the 5200 version is included or remade I'll buy. I spent so many hours on that game as a kid.
I mean if they remastered (as in 2D remastered) that Popeye game from the NES, I'd be happy
The Robin Williams movie was directed by Robert Altman and written by Jules Feiffer. It was panned at the time but I think history has shown it to be a minor classic. There was also an excellent Popeye themed boat ride created by Universal in the 90's:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vEQhka-l3zE
Outside of that, I really can't think of any significant media contributions related to Popeye in the last half century or so. Given Cuphead's popularity, I would have much preferred MDHR taking a crack at the character in the classic cartoon style. A gimped 90's collect-a-thon seems quite inconsequential.
Look worst than a GameCube game with the same celshade graphics.
I want Popeye, no not this...
Oh hamster I have a great idea! 💡💡💡
The last Popeye game I played was on the Atari! Ha ha.
I really doubt they got the license to that, it's probably gonna be called Pops Eye or something.
Weird that they're calling the villain Brutus when they're using the Bluto design.
The comment section here may well be another argument for these guys' other Switch works. I don't recall a single word seriously said about the graphics of Calculator.
You want a more meaty adaptation of an old classic? Go support one, The Pinchcliffe Grand Prix is days away.
I remember that Popeye game on the NES. Would love to play that again.
@Kaden that's too long a title! The sequel should be called Calculators!
@KnightRider666 @Sinton Third!
@MrGawain Characters can't be in Public Domain. Characters are usually Trademarks.
I loved the Popeye game for NES as a kid!
Kind of amazing to me that Popeye is still a thing, the character has been around for nearly a century.
Popeye looks strange in 3d. It's like he's been using that synthol crap, but exclusively on his forearms.
@NatiaAdamo popeye is public domain. Certain storyline and cartoons may not be but him, Olive Oyl and Bluto are.
I used to play that classic Popeye game (on the Atari 2600) all the time, when I was a kid in the 1980s. I also played a version that was on the NES a few years later. I do not think that I have played any other Popeye game since then.
Uhhh.... can I just get the Arcade/NES game instead? Please?
Uhhhh I think they should stick to making calculator games lol
@Kaden they are far too busy making the paid DLC right now to be bothered making a sequel...😃😃😃
In many countries, Popeye is already a public domain character that anyone can use for free, but USA is not one of them, he becomes public domain in 2024, same year as Mickey Mouse, maybe this game is coming to Europe but not coming to America.
It's an old story, when the copyright to Mickey Mouse was going to expire, Disney convinced congress to change copyright laws to make the deadline longer, and then done it again, some people say Disney did nothing wrong, they were just protecting their properties, but Disney made billions with public domain stories and characters like Snow White, Pinocchio, Cinderella, Alice in Wonderland and The Little Mermaid.
Since in many countries, Popeye is a public domain character, Nintendo could bring back the classic Arcade game and the NES port, since they don't need to pay a license to rerelease it.
@Tedikuma In many countries, it's $0,00.
Sure, public domain allows things like this to exist, but overall, public domain is a good thing, many great Sherlock Holmes movies, shows and videogames were made thanks to the copyright on Sherlock expiring.
I was intrigued until "other games include calculator, Golf, Darts, and Fight.
Did the movie cast Chris Pratt as Popeye, by any chance?
Looks awful! And yes, if this exists then the movie exists. Its just a tie-in.
I'd be more interested in a sequel to calculator then this.
@victordamazio Uh, no. It wasn't JUST Disney. If you must blame someone, blame all the studios of Hollywood.
The real problem with copyright is that it's a one-size system. It's fine when the work is by one or two people, but any bigger than that and it kind of breaks down. That and the base 95 years for a "work for hire" just doesn't work for younger mediums like TV or Video Games. The staggering number of media that is just floating around without a clear owner is worrying for many in the preservation community.
I love Popeye, so am interested in this. But yeah, Sabec, ouch... I'll wait for a review!
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